1
as in controversies
variance of opinion on a matter
a dispute over the proper pronunciation of "nuclear"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disagreements
an often noisy or angry expression of differing opinions
after much dispute, the school committee decided that all backpacks would have to be stored in lockers during class hours
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in challenges
to demand proof of the truth or rightness of
a whole slew of relatives eager to dispute his claim to being the sole heir
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bickers
to express different opinions about something often angrily
hometown fans disputing with visiting fans over which had the better team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in debates
to talk about (an issue) usually from various points of view and for the purpose of arriving at a decision or opinion
in an extended session the city council disputed the need for a new high school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disputes
Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
The lawsuit follows a series of high-profile disputes over how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its subagency FEMA distribute homeland security grants.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
During a government shutdown, nonessential federal workers will be temporarily furloughed, and essential workers will stay on the job without pay while Congress resolves funding disputes.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Oct. 2025
Friend’s terms require waiving the right to jury trials, class actions, and court proceedings, funneling disputes into arbitration in San Francisco.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
While carriage disputes are far from uncommon, especially as the economics of pay-TV become increasingly pressured in an era of cord-cutting, YouTube TV as a distributor has a unique profile.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
Local spats could now feed into a mass movement that spread far beyond individual disputes between a peasant and a particularly nasty abbot or lord.
—Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
Partisan spending disputes occasionally shut down parts of the government for a few days or a few weeks.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
As tensions between the city and the fire union have grown through these disputes, there have been talks of a no-confidence vote in the city.
—Alexis Martin, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Kessler also disputes that Polk engaged in wrongdoing.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Cincoro is labeled as being 100 percent agave, however, which the lawsuit disputes.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2025
After the FanDuel announcement, the court found that SEPTA's attempt to implement planned service cuts during Thursday's Eagles game was a violation of the August 29 court order, a claim that SEPTA disputes.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The industry disputes that finding, pointing to a June report from S&P Global Commodity Insights that found that the rate of methane emissions in the Permian Basin dropped 29% between 2023 and 2024.
—ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025
Israel disputes the hunger fatality figures given by the health ministry of Gaza's Hamas-run government, arguing that many deaths were due to other medical causes.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Israel disputes the figures but has not provided its own.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The White House disputes the prediction, arguing the Congressional Budget Office is a poor predictor of outcomes.
—Jessie Opoien, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
King Charles' younger son initiated the litigation in October 2019, signaling a shift in his approach to the British press — a stark departure from the royal family’s historic restraint regarding media disputes.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
The lawsuit follows a series of high-profile disputes over how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its subagency FEMA distribute homeland security grants.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
During a government shutdown, nonessential federal workers will be temporarily furloughed, and essential workers will stay on the job without pay while Congress resolves funding disputes.
—Jordan Green, Nashville Tennessean, 1 Oct. 2025
Friend’s terms require waiving the right to jury trials, class actions, and court proceedings, funneling disputes into arbitration in San Francisco.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
While carriage disputes are far from uncommon, especially as the economics of pay-TV become increasingly pressured in an era of cord-cutting, YouTube TV as a distributor has a unique profile.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
Local spats could now feed into a mass movement that spread far beyond individual disputes between a peasant and a particularly nasty abbot or lord.
—Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
Partisan spending disputes occasionally shut down parts of the government for a few days or a few weeks.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
As tensions between the city and the fire union have grown through these disputes, there have been talks of a no-confidence vote in the city.
—Alexis Martin, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Khudaynazar disputes the mayor’s assessment, per the lawsuit.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Kessler also disputes that Polk engaged in wrongdoing.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Cincoro is labeled as being 100 percent agave, however, which the lawsuit disputes.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2025
After the FanDuel announcement, the court found that SEPTA's attempt to implement planned service cuts during Thursday's Eagles game was a violation of the August 29 court order, a claim that SEPTA disputes.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The industry disputes that finding, pointing to a June report from S&P Global Commodity Insights that found that the rate of methane emissions in the Permian Basin dropped 29% between 2023 and 2024.
—ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025
Israel disputes the hunger fatality figures given by the health ministry of Gaza's Hamas-run government, arguing that many deaths were due to other medical causes.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Israel disputes the figures but has not provided its own.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
The White House disputes the prediction, arguing the Congressional Budget Office is a poor predictor of outcomes.
—Jessie Opoien, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disputes
Noun
-
Other cases Not all the big controversies at the court this term are focused on the powers of the president.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Swift has always been known to use her songs not only to tell personal stories but also to reference figures from pop culture, her romantic life, and past controversies.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Other federal agencies have crafted similarly partisan messages from the typically apolitical civil service amid a legislative standoff largely over disagreements related to health care cuts.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Senior Hamas officials suggested there were still major disagreements that required further negotiations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Her choice challenges the rules of her world and sparks a rebellion that paves the way for a new way of life.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Their paper challenges the standard Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) model, which assumes that the effects of dark energy remain constant.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The pope, played by Samora la Perdida, is a mincing oaf who bickers with Galas about the value of translating Wagner.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In a third scene, the group debates what to do.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
-
The world often debates climate change in the language of science and economics.—
Feleti Penitala Teo,
Time,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
According to him, advances in machine learning have yanked questions once trapped inside theological/philosophical disputations into corporate board packs.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Many of the people devouring YoungBoy’s endless stream of new music have also been devouring news of his various altercations and legal cases.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Hubert Mazur, Ray Collins and Jocelyne Robledo were also detained at the protests after engaging in physical altercations with federal officers, according to the court documents.—
Mason Leath,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Her mother, Kris Jenner, questions whether wearing diamonds to testify is a good look.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Everybody always questions his defense and everything else.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disputes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disputes. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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